Sanitary protector for hand pieces and the like



Dec. 31, 1929. v w. Ia CURR 2,

SANITARY PROTECTOR FOR HANDPIECES AND THE LIKE ori inal Filed April 10, 1923 avwentoz JVI'd Cary,

Patented Dec. 31, 1929 UNrrED STATES PATENT OFFICE WARD E. CUR-RY, OF BRADENTOWN, FLORIDA, ASSIGNOR TO THE CURRY HANDPIECE PROTECTOR COMPANY, OF SARASOTA, FLOR-IDA, A COMMON LAVJ ASSOCIATION SANITARY PROTECTQR FOR HAND PIECES AND THE LIKE Continuation. of application Serial No. 631,18, filed April .10, 1923. This application filed July 22, 1926.

. Serial No. 124,270. Renewed May 10, 1929.

This invention relates to a handpiece protector particularly adapted for use in connection with dental handpieccs.

The essential object of the invention is to provide means of a safe and scientific character for application to the handpiece of a denv tal instrument which will prevent transference of pathogenic organisms by such handpiece from the mouth of one patient to the mouth of another patient and which will present a clean surface to the lips of the patient.

A further object of the invention is to provide a strong and flexible inexpensive covering for a handpiece or holding means for various dental tools or implements and so constructed that no germs from the mouth of the patient or from the hand of the dentist can touch the handpiece, the device also be ing of a water-proof nature to render the same impervious to saliva and so economical in cost that when used once can be thrown away.

i A still further object of the invention is-to provide-an enclosing envelope for entirely encasing and covering handpieces as a pro- .tective means and having features of self.- adjustment to adapt the same to angles and various contours of the handpiece so that it may be lappliedto angular handpieces.

With these and other 'objectsand advan tages in view, the invention consists in the provision oflatubular member, formed of one material having an inherent yielding structure throughout its full length for automatically conforming to the sjhapeof and closely gripping a handpiece, andalso ihavingrat one endan increased thickness of material to .closely fit around and provide a tight joint with relation-to a tool or implement inserted through the .said end, subsequent to application of the member, into the-adjacent end of the handpiece.

The invention further consists in :the par.-

ticular construction and arrangement which .willbe more fully hereinafter described and Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the improved protector applied to a handpiece having an angular construction.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the protector in the form in which it will be furnished to dentists and others.

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the protector partly broken away and illustrating the particular arrangement of the tucked end,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank from which the protector is formed.

The numeral 5 designates a blank which is primarily rectangular in contour and of suitable proportions, and having a central V- shaped notch 6 formed in one end thereof and having two V- shaped notches 7 and 8 formed in its opposite end on opposite sides of its longitudinal center. Said notches 7 and 8 form a central tongue 9 and two outer tongues 10. The notch 6 is of greater width than the notches 7 and 8, and two side flaps 11 are folded upwardly and inwardly on the dot-ted lines 12 which are parallel and run from the inner. reduced terminals or apices of the notches 7 and 8 to the outer terminals or :base

angles of the side edges of the notch 6 where the latter intersect the adjacent end of the blank. The flaps 1 1 when folded, carry therewith the outer tongues 10, and these lat ter tongues, together with the central tongue 9, are :then folded on-a transverse dotted line 13. The tongue 9'is first folded inwardly against :the ibody la between the *fiaps 11 and secured to the body, and then the flaps l1 closed downwardly thereover and the tongues 1O turned outwardly in a reverse-folding direction to that of the tongue 9 againstthe outer side of the body 14 opposite that having the "overlapped edge portions of the flaps 11. When the tongue 9 is folded inwardly, it is secured against the adjacent portion of the body ltby a suitable adhesiveand, likewise, ,the opposite side edge portions of (the flaps ll are secured toone another and finally the tongues '10 are secured, the latter being overlapped as at 15, see Fig. 3. lVhen the i blank 'is foldedas justeXplained-and the several parts, includingtheoverlapped portions ofthetongues 10, are secured,the notch 6 will provide a convenient means for gaming access to the interior of the envelope or protector at the end of the envelope where the notch 6 is formed, thus avoiding the inconvenience of separating this entrance end of the envelope, and the placement ofthe end of a handpiece therein is rendered practicable without delay or mutilating the said envelope entrance end.

The blank 5 is constructed of one material throughout its length and has an inherent yielding nature. The material of the envelope blank is preferably paper, and practice has demonstrated that crepe paper is preferred. After the envelope has been completed, it is treated on the outer side by an application of paraflin, to render the same impervious to moisture and to a large extent increasing the strength of the envelope and adding essentially to its inherent yielding nature. The coating of paraflin applied to the envelope is not permitted to penetrate to the interior thereof, and thus adherence of the inner portions of the sides of the envelope is prevented.

The inward projection and securement of the tongue 9 and the outward overlapping secured folded disposition of the tongues 10, provide a tuck at the closed end of the envelope or protector and increase the thickness of material at said end, through which increased thickness a tool is inserted into the handpiece. The increased thickness forms a tight joint around the tool. In other words, the tucked, closed end of the envelope auto matically packs the tool inserted therethrough into the handpiece, and by this means moisture and germs are prevented from entering through the closed envelope and depositing upon the portion of the tool within the envelope end and the adjacent portion of the handpiece.

The improved envelope or protector is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 applied to two different forms of handpieces 16 and 17. The handpiece 16 is of the well-known straight form and the handpiece 17 has an elbow or angular bend as at 18. The handpiece 16 has its reduced end or extremity inserted in the open notched end of the envelope or protector and the latter is then drawn over the said handpiece until the tucked, closed end thereof reaches the terminal of the said reduced end of the handpiece, and in this operation the envelope or, protector automatically conforms and expands itself with relation to the handpiece, so that the envelope or protector closely engages or bears on and tightly surrounds the said handpiece. After the tool 19 is inserted through the tucked,

closed end of the envelope or protector into the reduced extremity of the handpiece, the said tucked end is drawn closely around the tool so as to avoid interference with free sight by the operator with relation to the part of the mouth treated. The envelope or protector, when applied to the handpiece 17, au-

tomatically assumes the elbow or angular disposition of this handpiece without requiring any additional material or special construction of the envelope at the deflected portion of the handpiece over which the envelope is drawn. \Vhen the envelope or protector is applied to the handpiece 17, the inherent yielding nature of the material of which the envelope is formed effects an automatic conformation to the contour of this handpiece and the envelope is also caused to fully and tightly fit around the handpiece, and subsequent to insertion of the tool 20 through the tucked end into the handpiece extremity, the said tucked end is manually reduced or contracted around the handpiece end, to avoid interference with the sight of the operator during use of the handpiece and tool as specified in connection with the handpiece 16 shown by Fig. 1. After the envelope or protector has served its purpose, it is withdrawn and thrown away, and, when the same hand pieces and tools are used in treating another patient, new envelopes or protectors are applied thereto in the same manner.

By forming the envolope or protector of a piece or blank of material of a like nature throughout its length and then folding and securing the parts of the envelope as hereinbefore explained, material economy in the cost of manufacture ensues, and in view of the natural or inherent yielding action of the material and the capability thereof to automatically and tightly conform to and embrace the handpiece, the improved device is rendered exceptionally effective in its service and makes it possible for a dentist to protect his instruments and patients at a very small cost. The improved envelope or protector also avoids all liability that patients may be subjected to infection resulting from transmission of disease germs from one patient to another, the improved protector being exceptionally hygienic in view of its cleanliness.

As heretofore indicated, the improved envelope or protector is especially adapted for use on and in connection with dental handpieces and tools, and two illustrations of the manner of applying the improved protector have been shown, but it will be understood that the envelope or protector may be applied to other handpieces or devices as a protective means, and also be generally used in connection with surgical instruments other than those employed by dentists. It will be further understood that the improved envelop orprotector may be made in varying dimensions, but as a standardized size of the envelope has been found readily adaptable owing to the inherent yielding action or automatic conformation of the envelope or protector to the handpiece to which it is applied, it will be unnecessary to modify the dimension of a selected standardized envelope except in special cases where variation thereof may be found necessary to meet certain struc tural demands of the handpiece or surgical instrument to which it is applied.

This application is a continuation of application #631,188, filed April 10, 1923.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A protector for dental handpieces, comrisin a ba of cre ed a er im re nated With a moisture resistant, said bag having one end open to receive a hand piece and its other end closed, the closed end presenting, at the point designed to be perforated by the inserted tool a plurality of thicknesses of said impregnated creped paper.

2. A sanitary protector for dental hand- I pieces comprising a sheet of creped paper impervious to moisture having at one end a pair of substantially V-shaped notches forming an intermediate tongue and a tongue on each side of the intermediate tongue, the side edges of said sheet being folded against one side of the sheet, said intermediate tongue being folded against one side of said sheet and said other two tongues being folded against the other side of said sheet.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WARD E. CURRY. 

